It is well known in the art to perform a purging operation after a package, such as a flexible pouch, has been filled with a variety of products including consumable liquids and other edible products. In order to extend the shelf life of the product in the flexible pouch, oxygen present in the pouch must be purged by an inert gas prior to the sealing of the flexible pouch. The presence of oxygen in the pouch increases the chance of a bacteria forming or may affect the taste of the consumable liquid or other edible products within the packaged pouch.
Previously known pouch filling and sealing machines included a separate gas flush or gas purge station positioned after a filling station. The separate gas purge station purged the interior of the pouch with the inert gas prior to the sealing of the pouch. However, there are several disadvantages of the previously known fill-seal machines which include a gas purge or flush station positioned between the filling station and the sealing station.
Specifically, the inclusion of a separate station of the fill-seal machine for the sole purpose of purging the interior of the pouch of oxygen decreases the operational efficiency of the fill-seal machine operation. The requirement for a separate station increases the overall time required for the flexible pouch to undergo the fill-seal operation. Moreover, the inclusion of a separate station for the purging operation increases the overall size of the fill-seal machine and reduces the number of pouches which can undergo simultaneous operation at each station.
Moreover, by conducting the purging operation at a separate station from the filling station requires that the pouch be displaced from the filling stage to the separate purge station. The movement of the pouch from the filling station to the purge station often disrupts product filled within the flexible pouch which may be splattered or otherwise adhered to the interior portion of the upper edge of the flexible pouch. The contamination of the upper edge of the pouch can decrease the effectiveness of a later applied seal that seals the upper edge of the pouch.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a diving nozzle which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages of the previously known flexible pouch filling systems.